Two and a half years of travelling have come to an end. Some final words are in place.
When we decided some time in summer 2009 that it was time for us to go somewhere else and live and work in a different country for a while, we finally decided to go to Australia for one year. Why Australia? Well, first because English is the only other language next to German we are fluent in and second because wages are pretty good in Australia, so it's easy to make some money in between that we can then spend for travelling again. And finally, we had always wanted to go to Australia, but a short holiday of three weeks just doesn't seem enough time considering the long and expensive flight. We had South America or Asia in mind, too, but Australia just seemed the easier option. And it was. Finding work, and WELL PAID work that is, in Australia, is really easy (you get between 17 and 20 Dollars per hour even for the simplest farm job). And of course travelling around this huge and beautiful country was amazing. Especially in a campervan. But only vagely would I have expected or rather hoped that we could a) stay another year or b) spend six month in total in Asia too, and c) work for one month in Vietnam! And never would I have expected that our money lasts this long. No, we have not won money in the lottery, we really lived off our savings and the money we earned on the way. Of the 30 month we spent travelling, I spent 13 working. If you can call that work. In Australia I worked in a
bakery for six month, in a
grapevine nursery for two, as a
nanny for four (including two month in Germany with the family) and in Vietnam
giving out flyers for one month.
So after all, we have spent less money for the two of us than we would have back home, paying rent and all. A travel insurance is actually cheaper that an insurance back home (we paid about 500 Euros a year per person and for that we got the money back for every single bill we sent them, even a chiropractic!).
So, what were our favourite spots? So many people kept asking me that and it's really hard to answer. If we have to name ONE absolute hightlight, it certainly is the FREEDOM of it all. Especially travelling around Australia as a couple in a campervan like our beloved DAN THE VAN, enjoying that absolute freedom of stopping wherever you like, covering endless miles of road through the outback, starting a fire somewhere and have a BBQ, opening an ice cold beer out of our small fridge, that was definitely one of our best experiences ever.
But here are some more highlights of Australia, in arbitrary order:
- The iconic
ULURU or "Ayer's Rock", NT. Even after all the pictures and what not every one of us has seen of the Big Rock before, it still didn't fail to completely amaze us. There is a certain atmosphere about it, and the sheer size, admireable from every angle as you walk the 10 km around it and touch it on the way, is deeply impressive.
- The
BITTER SPRINGS near Mataranka, NT. After hot days of driving through the endless outback around, this unexpected oasis of a natural rainforest swimming pool is just like a picture... that you can swim in!
- Self-drive-Safari on
FRASER ISLAND, QLD. This huge sand island is a lot of fun with a good group of people, some food and drink, and a tent. Drive around deep sand, spot dingoes, whales, turtles and rays, and maybe an amaing shooting star, like we did.
- A peaceful sailing trip around the
WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS, QLD, especially the sight of unique, stunning, beautiful WHITE HAVEN BEACH. It's just that postcard picture that gets everyone jealous.
- Spotting a
platypus in beautiful EUNGELLA NATIONALPARK, QLD.
- WINE TASTINGS. Oh, we went so many times, in so many different places and had such lovely wines and such great times... And no, you don't have to buy anything. People go there just for the tastings and that's okay. And one time we were even offered a 280 Dollar wine... that we spilled on the floor after breaking the glass. And even that wasn't a problem. Ah, I loved the wine tastings. Some great places are: in WA between Margaret River, Denmark and Albany, many places in NSW and VIC, and of course
BAROSSA VALLEY in SA.
- Snorkelling the NINGALOO REEF at
TURQUOISE BAY near Exmouth, WA. I have never seen more different fish. And beautiful corals and crystal clear water and white beach and all that togehter on such a small spot; walk up the beach for 200 m, get in the water and let the current drift you over gardens of underwater paradise... get out at the sandbank and start again. Heaven!
- Watching dolphins close up (and we even had a baby dolphin, born just the night before!) from the beautiful beach of
MONKEY MIA resort in - also beautiful and interesting - SHARK BAY, WA.
- The amazing, incredible, magnificent gorges of
KARIJINI NATIONALPARK, WA. Hiking along waterways throung canyons, swimming in beautiful ponds and climbing through the unbelievable miracle miles in WEANO GORGE and HANCOCK GORGE - wow.
- Beaches, rivers and mountains, camping along wombats and parrots in
WILSONS PROMONTORY, VIC. As an overseas tourist you always get a campsite in the highly poplular and always booked out campground.
- Hiking in the
GRAMPIANS, VIC. The hike through Grand Canyon, Silent Street and up to the Pinnacles is one of our all time favourites. Tame kangaroos on the main campsites in Hall's Gap and secluded campspots a bit out of town make it a perfect camping holiday.
- The famous
GREAT OCEAN ROAD, VIC. Not only the 12 Apostels, but many more stunning sights along this popular seaside drive. The Grotto, the Blowholes and many more unforgettable views. We went there twice and would always go again.
- The Blue Lake and sinkholes in
MT GAMBIER, SA. Quite fascinating. Pick a theory why the lake is so blue and feed a possum in the beautifully lit Umpherston sinkhole at night.
- Feasting on OYSTERS on
EYRE PENINSULA, SA. Coffin's Harbour's oysters (even if the name doesn't suggest it) are the best (and also the biggest, cheapest and freshest) we have ever had. YUM!
- "Noodling" for opals in
COOBER PEDY!
- The CITIES. Museums in
ADELAIDE (for free and world class! Especially the science section - just a few hightlight are an opalized dinosaur sceleton, the oldest knwon fossiles in the world and radio active waves made visible.), the bar scene in
MELBOURNE (we liked Brunswick Street and Church Street), beautiful urban and natural sights in
PERTH (what a beautiful city along Swan River... have a Barbie on a river beach in the city and spot a dolphin or dip into the turquoise ocean. Enjoy the skyline views of the stunning glass bridge over colourful wildflowers in the Botanical Garden or go whale watching just off the coast! Go snorkelling and photographing cute Quokkas on pretty ROTTNEST ISLAND while driving a bicycle around the small island just opposite Perth.) and of course, the capital of hearts,
SYDNEY. A great city. Opera House, Darling Harbour, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, a lot of green and even more atmosphere.
- KANGAROOS, KOALAS, OUTBACK, BEACHES, CAMPERVAN!! The whole Road Trip Experience, living in our DAN THE VAN, that was the best of it all. We've been all around, only Cairns and the top Northeast and Tasmania are missing. Maybe next time. We definitely had the time of our lives.
And - to round everything of - here also a list of some of our favourite spots in SOUTH EAST ASIA!!
- TEMPLES AND PAGODAS in Thailand and Cambodia. The twinkling golden roofs and colourful decoration of many buildings in
BANGKOK (the King's Palace, the Temple of Dawn, the Reclining Buddha, and the old capital of Ayuttaya just North of Bangkok) are one their own worth travelling to Thailand for. Also worth mentioning is the beautiful temple cave we visited near
Hua Hin. And of course, the Queen of all Temples:
ANGKOR WAT and BAYON and especially all the smaller djungle temples around the main area in the old city of Angkor. Some shopping and a cold beer afterwards in lovely Siam Reap, and the next day: Angkor again!
- BEACHES AND ISLANDS in Thailand. If you're looking for a beautiful beach, Thailand definitely has got the one. My favourite beaches are
Long Beach on Koh Chang and
Ao Kwai on Koh Phayam, my favourite bars in the world are the Reggae House on Koh Lanta and the Hippie Bar on Koh Phayam (and possibly all the little bars on Rambuttri Road, Bangkok). Diving from Koh Tao, beaches and full moon parties on Koh Phangan, you'll find it all in Thailand.
- NATURE AND TOWNS in Vietnam. The OLD CITY of
HOI AN - silk lanterns and a feeling of old times with lots of lovely restaurants along the river. Magic. The FESTIVAL of
HUE. Music, dance and colourful costumes from all over the world, and everything inside the walls of the majestic Emperial City. Hiking and driving a motorbike around the hills of
SAPA in the far North West, rice fields and minority people in traditional dresses. The 2000 rocks and islands that form Halong Bay and
LAN HA BAY. An overnight boat cruise around this natural wonder is definitely the crown of every visit in Vietnam.
